The present invention generally relates to power tools and, more particularly, to power table saws.
Guard systems for power table saws typically include three components, namely, a splitter or riving knife, a kickback prevention device, and a blade guard that covers the blade. A kickback prevention device is a safety device that reduces the likelihood of a kick-back event where a work piece is somehow caught or bound up during a cutting operation and the inertia of the blade throws the work piece back toward the user. A riving knife is typically considered to function similarly to a spreader or splitter on a blade guard assembly, but does not extend above the top of the blade.
Depending on the type of cut being made, there are times when it is desirable to separate and remove the blade guard from the riving knife. For example, when making a non-through cut, the user must remove the guard system if the guard system is of the type which is attached to the undercarriage or the rear of the table saw. These mounting configurations are typically utilized on most portable and bench top models that are presently commercialized. Because there is a need to remove the guard system during non-through and other special types of cuts and because special wrenches or the like are often necessary to do so on many commercial bench top models, many users simply leave the guard system off. While some table saws incorporate features in the blade guard for removing the blade guard without the use of tools, they utilize internal mounting with very limited spring action, which requires very high precision of all mating parts.